Scientists from Turkey conducted a study to investigate the importance of
targeted expression of a hybrid insecticidal gene (SN19) in potato plants.
The result is published in Plant Biotechnology Reports.

The researchers constructed two plant expression vectors through cloning
hybrid SN19 gene under the control of a promoter isolated from Asparagus and
CaMV 35S promoter, and were transferred to Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain
EHA 105. Four varieties of potatoes (Marabel, Innovator, Tokat 10/1 and
Tokat 6/24) were transformed with EHA 105 strain harboring the constructs.

Results of the polymerase chain reaction showed 43 out of the 154 transgenic
plants expressed SN19, which was further confirmed by Western blot assays.
The mechanical wounding of transgenic plants exhibited higher levels of SN19
proteins during post wounding period. Leaf biotoxicity assays with Colorado
potato beetle and tomato leafminer exhibited 100% mortality of the pests in
the transgenic potato plants.

Based on the results, it was concluded that the potato transgenic lines
exhibited targeted expression of insecticidal gene upon insect wounding with
eliminated toxicity of Cry protein.

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